Santa Muerte
Nuestra Señora de la Santa Muerte or Our Lady of Death is a common folk saint within Central and South America. Known more popularly as Santa Muerte or Saint/Holy Death, this folk saint is responsible for the Latin holiday known as Dia Del Muerto or Day of the Dead in which people paint their faces with artistic skull prints and commemorate a connection with dead loved ones. Saint Death is a Patron of Protection, Healing, Protection from Ruin or Demise, and above all, safe passage into the afterlife. Facts: -Saint Death and her attending following are frowned upon by the Roman Catholic Church, however she has proven to be firmly entrenched in Latin culture and many continue to pray to her. -Santa Muerte has a large and surprisingly well organized following. From wayside shrines and home devotions to full blown churches and meeting places, those who follow the Saint of Death have developed resources and built an infrastructure for themselves. Major cities like Rio Janeiro, Mexico City and Juarez are home to large worship places built in this Saint's honor. -Santa Muerte is very popular among members of the Society of the Serpent Chapter. In fact, she is considered to be an honorary member of the Chapter and is believed to play a large role in the leadership of the Society. There is decent evidence that she may even be the one who founded the Chapter in the first place. -The bones and bodies of the deceased are integral to some of the more gothic forms of worship done by followers of Santa Muerte. This is especially true for members of the various drug Cartels, whose members frequently turn to Santa Muerte and use the bodies of their dead opponents as good luck charms (or to dabble in the occult). -Santa Muerte is not a 'true' Saint but instead a folk saint, formed from prayers and the devotion of mortal creatures. She was never alive, and has never been human, but has developed in the spirit world from the coalescing energies of her following's prayers. In this regard, Santa Muerte has a strong resemblance to the Pagan Gods, and in fact her real-life religion is believed by many scholar to be a Christianized form of Aztec death-worship. She is, essentially, a highly specialized Avatar of Death. -When Santa Muerte materializes, she often assumes the form of a feminine skeletal figure cloaked in beautiful, expensive robes. She often holds a scythe and a globe in her hands to signify her role and power in the natural order of things. -Despite her dark appearance, Our Lady of Death is reported to be very kind and attentative, almost to the point of being maternal to others. But don't think she is weak, Santa Muerta is part of a greater force of nature who is easily as old as the hills and deserts of the land itself. -The practice of Voodoo has become blended with the worship of Saint Death in some places. -The makeup of this Saint's following is quite diverse but it is traditionally Latin in scope. The Catholic Church isn't exactly happy with such a figure being ranked among their own Saints, but many Hispanic Catholics continue to keep a fervent devotion to her. Also, many people who don't feel attracted to such traditional religion like the Catholic faith find a suitable home in the Cult of St. Death. For more info see the article on Santa Muerte on Wikipedia. -Unlike other Saints who seem to attract the religiously elite, Saint Death gladly accepts those who commit petty crimes (crimes committed out of desperation, such as thieving and prostitution to feed one's self, etc.). Saint Death understands the hardships of life, she has to clean up the mess herself often. She is perfectly fine having such people in her following. -Sacrifices to St. Death usually take the form of urban materials such as alcohol, cigarettes, clothing important to the devotee, money and local flowers. Such items are found in abundance around her shrines. Oh, and candles. Lots and lots of candles. References: Category:Death Category:Church Category:Society Of The Serpent